Automatic cutting device



M. CASTRICUM ET AL AUTOMATIC G'UTTING. DEVICE Filed Nov.

'3. 1925 5 sh ts-sneet 1 I N VEN TORJ MNEY- Oct. 16, 1928. 1,687,928

M. CASTRICUM ET AL AUTOMATIC CUTTING DEVICE Filed New: 15, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 16, 1928. 1,687,928

M. CASTRICUM ET AL AUTOMATIC CUTTING DEVICE V Filed Nov. 15, 1925 I a Sheets-Sheet 3 '67 g 67 68 F5 I K INVENTORS Witlrour invention;

Fig. 2 is a detail thereof; I Fig. 3 is a front elevati'onof the knife'opcrating mechanism, taken on line 3+3 of Fig.1; v 25.. Fig 4 is a side elevation thereof, partly ergizing of the cutter motor opera ing cir-r Patented Oct. 16, 1928.

UNITED STATES MAnTm'oASTnIcUM Ann PERCY L. BUTTERFIELD, or SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHU- sETTsAssmnoRs To THE rrsx RUBBER COMPANY, or cmcornn FALLS, MASSA- CHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

AUTOMATIC CUTTING DEVICE- Application filed November 13, 1925. Serial No. 68,839.

Our present invention relates to devices for.

l 5 automatic control of the cutting and winding mechanisms so that the cutting of the stock and the changing of the winding opera tion from one unit to another may take place without stoppage or slowing down of "the rubberizing calender or other equivalent device. It has for another object the improvement of the cutting mechanism, particularly in thelinterests ofjsimplicity and 'Of reliability in operation, Other' and further objects will appear from thefollowing description and claims. h

Referring to the drawings,"

Fig. 1 is a side elevation ofa cutting' and I winding apparatus constructedin accordance broken away, drawn on a scale larger than I that of Fig. l;

' Fig. 5 is a. wlring diagram of the control device and the means for coordinating the 0 different mechanisms so that they perform their operations in the desired sequence upon the actuation of a. single control Fig. 6 is a dlagrammatlc side elevatn 1l lustrative of the setting of the invention in. an

installation forproducing rubberized cord fabric; Fig. 7 is apartial wiring diagram showing the initial energizing of the control circuits for the-cutter;

Fig. 8 is a similar diagram showin the encuits eration of the dynamic brake circuit for bringing the cutter motor to a stop; and 1 Fig. 10 is a view similar to Figs. 7 and 8, but showing the alteration in the circuits for operating the motor in the reverse direction, the control circuits being shown in dotted and the operating circuits in full lines.

In a previously filed application Serial No. 20,398, filed April 3, 1925, we have described a wind-up device somewhat similar to that Fig. 9 is a similar diagram showing the op described herein. In that case, however, the cutt ng was done by hand and the calender was slowed downin order to give time for the performance of this operation. In the system shown in the present application the cuttlng o-peration has been so speeded up that slowing down of the calender is imnecessary.

:The mechanism to be described Operates automatically to stop the travel of the'web past the cut-ting point, to temporarily store that partof the web delivered by the calender during the duration of the cutting operation, and 'tO restore the diiferent parts of the sysfem to the normal condition of equilibrium after cutting of the web has been completed. The general arrangement of apparatus in the setting for which our invention has beenparticularly designed is shown diagrammatically in Fig. 6. In that figure the web of through a rubber coating calender A where it material is denoted by m. This material,

receives .a coat of rubber on both sides. It

then passes through tension equalization rolls B and a welghing device C. D represents a take-up, tension, and controlling device which has various important functions in the operation of the apparatus. Passing over cooling rollsE the web m reaches the cutting mechanism F' and finally duplicates Windingde- Vices G and G. i

The calender A is driven by a motor .(notshown) which also, by chain connections. 11, 12 and 13 (Fig. 6) drives the tension rolls B.

The cooling rolls E may be drivenby a chain connection 14 from a motor 15, or may run idly. In the former case a chain 16 connects them with a conveyor 17 which carries the web m to the cutting and winding devices. A third motor 18 (Fig. 1) drives, by suitable gear connections and chains19, two shafts 20 and 20 which furnish the power for the two wind-up devices. Before describing the .manner of control and coordination of the various devices the mechanical features of'the cutting and winding devices-will be considered.

As mentioned above t-he web m'is carried to the cutting and winding devices by a belt conveyor 17. Positioned above this conveyor, and driven from the latter by a chain connection 21, is a roll 22 which-holds the web offthe conveyor to allow thecut to be made without injury to the belt. The sprockets driving this roll, and the diameter of the roll itself, are designed so that its surface speed is slightly less than the surface speed of the belt This proportioning of the parts" has a function useful in preventing wrinkling of the stock after the cut is made.

Slightly beyond the roll 22 is a guide or track 23 extending transversely of theconveyorto points well beyond the edges of the web m. A carriage 24 runs on this guideway by means of grooved rollers 25. A cutter 26' in the form of a circular disc is pivoted for rotation on this carriage, and has fixed to it a sprocket 27. Idle sprockets 28 are also ly from one end to the other of the guideway and the cutting disc simultaneously rotated at a high speed. i

After passing the plane in which the cutting disc moves, the web m passes under an idle roll 'which serves to kecp it in proper position, and finally reaches the winding devices. The=details of these winding devices are not material to the present invention, and the general construction only will bedescribed. A more complete mechanical de scription is found in our prior application Serial No. 20,398, filed April 3, 1925. The

liners 36 are supplied on spools37. After passing under spreader bars 38 they "0 around rolls 39 and 40 to the wind-up ro s 41, mounted on and driven by an adjustable friction clutch from shafts 20 and 20. The

web m, instead of passing around these same rolls on its way from belt 17--to the wind-up, passes aroun'd rolls 42 and 43,- joining the liner on roll 40.

In order that the speed of the conveyor 17 shall be synchronized, at all times except during the special operations described below, with the speed with which the web m .is delivered by thecalender, an automatic control .is'provided for the conveyor motor 15 operated by the floating roll 44 of the tensioning and controlling device D. For this pur pose the roll 44 is connected with a chain45 which passes over a sprocket 46 on theshaft of a rheostat 47 (Fig. '5), terminatingin a counterbalancing' weight 48. The rheostat 47 is included in series with the shunt field 49 of the conveyor motor 15. If this motor tends'to run at a speed lower than that re,- quired to make the speed of belt 17 correspond with the'speed with which the web m is being delivered by the calender, the web will accumulate between. the calender and the conveyor, allowing the roll 44 to descend. This movement turns the rheostat 47 slightly in such a direction as to insert additional resistance in the field circuit of the motor, whereuponthe latter will increase its speed. A similar but inverse action will take place if the motor 15 tends to drive the-conveyor at too high a speed. Inpractice it will be found that little or no motion of the rheostat will occur during'the operation of the device, the motors finding a condition of equilibriumand fluctuating only a very slight amount.

The cutting mechanism has been arranged so as to operate very quickly, avoiding any necessity of slowing down or stoppingthe calender. The movement of the web past the cutter is temporarily arrested, the slack be= tween that point and the calender being taken up by the deviceD. The entire manual control of the cutter and'of the motion of the stock is centered in the two push buttons 50 and 50 (Fig. 5) these being used alternately. The electrical control devices will be considered in the sequence in which they operate.

Assuming that push button 50 is depressed, the first effect will be'an opening of the circuit through the solenoid 51 of a contactor 52. This contactor, which in Fig. 5 is shown open or inactive on account of the open position of main switch 53, will be raised or closed 'during the normal operation of the calender. In its closed position it short circuits that portion of the field rheostat'4'f between the contact arm 54 and the terminal 55. The effective portion of the rheostat during normal operation therefore lies between the contact' arm and the second terminal 56. When the solenoid 51 is de-energized by the depression of push button 50 'the short circuit between contact arm 54 and the terminal 55 is broken, throwing the entire rheostat into series with the shunt field 49. Since an in crease of resistance in the-field of a shunt motor increases the speed of the motor, the motor 15 will speed up, increasing the speed of the wind-up conveyor 17. The calender runs throughout at a constant speed, and this acceleration of the wind-up diminishes the amount of slack in the take-up device D and raises the floating roll 44. On account of the opening of the eontaetor 52 the rotation of the contact arm 54 by chain 45, while it takes place with variations in position of roll 44, produces no electrical effect.

When the roll 44 nears the top of its travel it strikes the arm of a limit switch 57 breaking the circuit through the solenoid 58 of a cuit through the conveyor motor 15. The wind-up conveyor thereupon comes to a stop. Since, as always, the calender motor is still running at a constant speed, slack will accumulate in the take-up D and the floating roll will descend. The limit switch 57 is soarlulu 'cont'actor 59 and thereby opening the cirranged, in

, Starting, then,

'struction, through the coil 67 of a contactor 68.

' motor 32, through the negative side of the line.

a manner to be described, as to remain open until the floating roll has reached the bottom of its travel, and in the period of descent of the roll the cutting operation takes place. Consideration ofturther operation of the motor can therefore be deferred until the manner of actuation of the cutter has been described. v

with the opening of the circuit through the-contactor 59-the push button being still held depressed by the'operatorthe -following functions are performed by the control of cutter motor 32. As

well as forming part .ofthe circuit through.

the motor 15 the contactor 59 is part of the circuitthrough the solenoid 60 of acontactor 61, and the latter drops simultaneously with thestoppage or motor 15 The contactor 61 whel closedby the opening of the circuit through its solenoid 60 allows current from one side of the line, dicated as positive, to reach motor 32 and the controlling mechanism for it. l Y Tracingthe path of the current fromthe positive side of the line (see Figs. 5 and7)' it passes'first through theresistance 62 of a temperature control device ot standard conthe contactor 63 thereof, through the now closed circuit between the upper contacts of the push button 50 (which, it will be remembered, is being held depressed by the operator), through a limit switch 64, and then divides, part passing through the solenoid 65 of a contactor 66 and part through The current finally passes through a ballast resistance 69 and back to the negative side of the line.

This condition of the circuit shown in Fig. 7, other parts and portions of the circuit being omitted for purposes of clearn ess.

The actions just described merely prepare the way for the circuit through'the cutter motor 32. This latter circuit is shown separately in-Fig. 8, it being understood that the current in the control circuits'of Fig. 7 persists during the operation. Considering the operating circuits ofFig. 8 separately from the. control circuits of Fig. 7, the current from thepositive side-of the line passes through the resistance 62 and through the armature of the contactor' 68, which it will be recalled has been shifted'to the left as viewed in the drawings by the energizing of its solenoid. It then passes through the armatureTO of of a contactor 67, similar in construction to contactor 67, through the closed contactor 66, which was energized by the control current, through a ballast resistance '2' 1, and b'ackto The. field coils 72 of the motor are shunted across the line and are energized whenever the contact-or 61 is closed. For convenience in re ierring to the reversing or motor the path When currentjflows as indicated in Fig. 8 the motor 32 will turn, movmgcham 29 and gating roll 74' of the limit switch 64. The

actuation of the limits'witch breaks the conx here for convenience 111-.

the field coils are still energized from the.

completion of the cutting stroke this roll rolled stopped the conveyor motor by openthe unenergized armature armature of the cutting motor in a reverse of the current from positive to negative has 65 been-shown by arrows.

causing the carriage 2icto be moved across the path of the web m, with a consequent rotation of the cutter and severance of the web. \Vhen the carriage nears the limit-of its travel a rail 7 3 (Fig. 3) borne it strikes the actutrol circuit shown in Fig. 7 in the same way. as if the operator hadremoved his hand from; the push button 50 at exactly the right moment of time, and restoresthe motor .operating circuit to the condition shown in Fi The operating circuithas been isolated in Fig. 9 to show'more clearly the action which takes place. It will be apparent from Fig. 9 that the armature of the cutter motor 32 is short circuited through a resistance 75, while 1 main line. This action, commonly referred to as dynamic braking, brings the motor 32, and consequently the cutter carriage 24, to an almost instantaneous though smooth stop. Although the foregoing cutting operatlons have taken some space to describe, they in reality are'completed in a fraction of a second. The calender still continues at its constant speed to turn out additional length of and this length continues to be the web 1173, taken up by the roll 44. Shortly after the reaches an arm 76 which "is connected by a linkage T7 with the limit switch 57 so as to close it when struck by the roll. That switch, which when opened by theupward travel of a now byits closing starts the conveyor motor again, and also energizes solenoid 60,breaking the circuit to the cutter motor. At any time shortlyafter the completion of the cutting operation the operator may remove his handfrom button 50, and the conveyor motor, through the governing action of the floating roll 4&4 as previously described, seeks its proper speed and continues steadily until the next cut is to be made.

' The next cut is brought about by the op erator pressing the button 50, buttons 50 I and 50 being used alternately. The action isexa'ctly similar to that produced as above except that the contactors 66 and 68' are used instead of the corresponding ones 66 and 68, and that the current flows through the ing contactor 59,

direction, causing reversal of the motor travel. This has been shown in Fig. 10, the control circuit being shown in dotted and the operating circuit'in full lines.

While the specific electrical devices chosen have been described with some particularity. in the interest of clearness, it should be understood that other connections or types of ap )aratus may be used as desired by the insta ling electrician. The apparatus is not restricted to winding up material delivered from a 'rubberizing calender, butmay be used .Wherever a supply of continuous web material needs to be cut into lengths and wound u 3. 4 Having' thus described our invention, we claim: i

1. An apparatus for cutting into lengths a continuously supplied web of material being furnished at a substantially constant speed, comprising means for deli vering the material from the cutting point, a floating roll const-ructed to take up slack between the supply and the delivery of the material and nor-' mally to control by its position the speed of the delivery, means for temporarily accelerat-, ing the delivery, means controlled by the approach-of the floating roll to its upper limit for arresting the delivery, means similarly controlled for cutting the material while its 1 motion isthus arrested, and means controlled by the approachof the floating roll to its lower limit for restarting the delivery in normal operation. y

2.,An apparatus for cutting into lengths a continuously supplied web of material being furnished at a substantially constant speed, comprising means for delivering the material from the cutting point, a floating roll constructedto take up slack between the supply and the delivery of the material and normally to control by its position the speed of the delivery, means for temporarily accelerating the delivery, means controlled by the approach of the floating roll to its upper limit for arresting the delivery, means simi larly controlled for cutting the material while its motion is thus arrested, and means con- '-supply and the delivery means during the delivering means and the continuous supply adapted t0 equalize the feed of the continous winding operation and having amaximum 'capacity sufficient to accumulate the web during the operation of the cutter, means operative at the will of the operator to increase the speed of the deliverymeans to exhaust the slack in the take up means and means automatically responsive to the exhausting of the slackin the take up'means to stop thedelivery means and operate the cutter. i

4. In combination, means for continuously supplying a web of material, means tendelivering the material for winding, cutting mechanism associated with the delivering means, means for taking up slack between the delivering means and the continuous supply adapted to equalize the feed of the continuous supply and the delivery means vduring the winding operation and havin a maximum capacity sufiicient to accumu late the web duringthe operation of the cutter, means operative at the will of the operator to increase the speed of the delivery means to exhaust the slack inthe take up means and means automatically actuated in sequence with the foregoing means for restarting the delivering means.-

MARTIN CASTRICUM. PERCY L. BUTTERFIELD. 

